Energy & transmission
Production, storage, and redundancy for night operations and emergencies.
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Module 02: Build
Modelling Mars
Your proposal is only half the brief. Every team also builds a physical model of its colony on a one-metre hexagonal board, the same board every other team builds on, because on showcase day they all connect into a single continuous Mars diorama.
Specialisations
Ten systems.
One colony.
Divide these between your teams. Each one serves a specific function in keeping the colony alive, and each must connect seamlessly with the rest of the Mars base.
Agriculture & food
High-tech farming and livestock to feed 650 people, every single day.
Accommodation & leisure
Residential, recreational, and entertainment facilities worth living in.
Mining & resources
Extracting and processing water, gases, and minerals from the planet itself.
Spaceport & servicing
Launch, landing, refuelling, maintenance, and cargo handling.
Research & exploration
Laboratories, rovers, and reconnaissance vehicles for the surface.
Remote outposts
Forward bases that make future colony expansion possible.
Industrial & manufacturing
Turning raw Martian material into usable components on site.
Storage & distribution
Holding and moving resources and cargo across the whole colony.
Preliminary habitation
The first hardware your crews live in while they build everything else.
Materials
What you are building with.
Every team receives the same starting materials. It is up to you to model a Mars base that matches the proposal you pitched.
- A one-metre hexagonal modelling board that interconnects with every other team's board
- A mission handbook and project log for recording decisions as you make them
- A pen drive preloaded with the technical guidelines, used later for submission
- Physical and online workshops, plus access to shared tools and build areas
12VMaximum DC power on Mars models. 240V AC is prohibited
3DUsage of printing, laser cutting, and CAD tools are all encouraged
♻Upcycled and waste materials count toward sustainable design
Recommended methods
Conceptualise the model by sketching and designing to begin. If possible, convert your designs to 3D models using modelling software. Afterwards, you can 3D print or use up-cycled materials in order to build a realistic model of your colony. We encourage the use of electronics such as Arduino and Raspberry Pi to enhance your finished product presentation.
Material limits
Electronics are capped at 12V DC. Direct 240V AC electrification of a model is strictly prohibited. Nothing may extend beyond your board's footprint in a way that blocks a neighbouring team from connecting to it.
Safety
Cutting, soldering, and hot tools are used only in supervised build areas with the correct protection. Batteries are stored and charged under adult supervision. Clean your workspace and account for every tool at the end of each session.
Sustainable design
On Mars nothing is thrown away, and the judges look for the same discipline in your model. Reuse offcuts, upcycle packaging, and be able to explain where every resource in your colony comes from, where it goes and when it is spent.
Full submission formats, power limits, and penalties live in the official rules.